Be Careful What You Wish For
by DragonsRuleYourDreams12
Summary: Ed and Al are six & seven. They get in quarrels like most normal kids do, but knowing Ed, his temper-tantrums get, sometimes, a little overboard. So he decides to wish that he never met Al right as a shooting star passed over their home. I don't own FMA.
1. Shooting Star

Gold sun painted it's way around trees and houses. Two small shadows danced across a field, adding new depth to the beautiful scene.

A long series of grassy hills ate at the countryside, finally giving way to the few homes spotted across the small town to just large banks of grass and meadow.

The shadows came to a halt atop a lush, green hill.

A young blonde boy sat by a smaller auburn-haired child, They watched the sky's watercolor dance of shades of pink, red, yellow, copper, gold, and orange until the sun was nearly out of sight and the gold sky had started to fade into a light-purple background.

This was about the time that the blonde had decided to pipe up.

"Hey, Al," he asked, his voice holding the warmth that only a child's voice seemed to hold.

The auburn-haired boy looked up from the ground. "Hmm?"

"I wonder what we're going to be like when we're older." the blonde said this almost as if he were reading it from a script in his mind.

The smaller boy shrugged. "Don't know." he answered. He was still at a fairly young age, so his lips formed around the word yet it was still somewhat stunted.

The blonde gazed at the sky. "I wonder if we're going to be like the strong warriors that travel around the world and save places. Do you think like we're gonna' be like the people from our books?"

This shifted the younger boy's imagination. "Hmm..." he murmured, trying to picture such a scene. After a moment he stopped and looked back to the blonde worriedly. "Yeah, but, we don't have powers like them."

"They don't have powers, Al," the blonde said with a grin, "they have alchemy. And dad's office is full of those sorts of books!" he exclaimed, raising his arms up to give more emphasis on his father's large collection of alchemy books and journals.

Al awed the blonde's enthusiasm. "But Ed, how are we going to learn that stuff? Mom doesn't even understand it." he sighed with a frown.

Ed's grin widened. "We'll amaze this whole town! I bet none of them can, so when we learn it, we can make things and sell them for kajillions of money! And then Mom won't be sad anymore!!" his eyes burned with fire. He stood up and scanned the field. "In no time, Al, this place will be full of the magical places that are in our books! We'll call it _Elrictopia_!!" visions of giant zoo's and candy stores filled his mind's eye. He imagined square devices from the future made of steel that had black screens where you could see another person's face on it. It could play music and you could even hear the other person on it! It would be an amazing sight and would cost three-hundred dollars just to get in!

All Al saw was _work. _

So the two boys ran back through the fields in time to arrive to their driveway before it got too dark to see.

Out of the eye of the dark pierced a yellow square of light high in the dark. It turned on, then off, then on, then off, and so on until they made their way to the door of a two-story home and through it.

They didn't even take the time to greet their mother; they ran straight through the halls and to their father's study.

Ed grabbed the first and thickest book he could reach and pried it open. Thick, dusty pages lay inside the red leather cover. Ed leaned down and peered at the words. It read:

_It is a taboo for one to commit human transmutation. Many have tried, and failed. No scientist on earth has surpassed the clamps of death that this taboo holds. Many believe to attain a transmutation circle that, in fact, will surpass this taboo, would have to be the creations of a God. _

_In further studies, we come to the ancient and majestic philosopher's stone. We know of it's existence, but no scientist has ever come close to successfully making an effective one without the loss of their life. Thus we come to a conclusion that whatever made this stone must have removed it from this earth because it feared the power it held and the knowledge we could gain. _

Ed stopped scanning the page after this, for he had become frustrated with his lack of knowledge of the words. He could understand few things about this. One of them would be _it is a _and _for one_ and _human _alright; he could barely read them but he knew what they meant. He came to a conclusion that the one or two words he couldn't read probably didn't matter, and he had to figure out what it was that he could read meant. He put his finger on the first word; _it_. 'It' had to mean something to do with alchemy, because this _was_ an alchemy book, right? So if 'it' meant alchemy, then 'is a' surely would be linked. The one word he didn't understand didn't make him understand the sentence anymore. _Alchemy is a..._ what?

"Tah-boo. Tahboo." he tried his best to sound out the word.

Wait... That word _'boo'._ Scarey monsters and ghosts said the word 'boo'. So 'boo' had to mean scarey. And the beginning.. _'tah'. _Maybe it meant 'thing'. Ed was sure he had read backwards words before, and this _was_ an alchemy book, and alchemy was such a strange thing that most didn't understand it. So all of this just _had_ to make sense.

He read off what he had deciphered so far.

"Alchemy is a scarey thing." he said.

Al glanced over at him. "What?" he asked.

"That's what this book says." Ed looked up.

Al's eyes widened. "Well, if it's scarey, maybe we shouldn't do it."

"Come on. It's just a book, Al."

"So? If that big book says it's scarey, and scarey means bad because Mommy has told us so before, than alchemy is bad." Al felt pretty good about his explanation and gave a huff of victory. He set down a thinner blue book that had been in his hands on the floor and scooted over to Ed.

Ed fixed a glare on his baby brother. "Nuh-huh, Al! You're just a big baby!"

"Am not!" Al screamed.

"Are too!" Ed yelled back, setting his book down.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!" Ed's yell was the loudest, and stopped the war momentarily. He was older, thus quick(er)-witted, so his comeback was faster. "I wish that we were never brothers! I wish I had never met you!" Ed screeched, pounding his fists on the wooden floor.

Just seconds after Ed's tantrum, something fast and white swept across the sky just over the Elric's home.

Trisha, their mother, then ripped the door open and came in. "Boys!" she hollared at them/

Both winced in unison at the sharp scold from their mother.

"I just came in here to tell you that there was a shooting star outside, but you're in here throwing fits!" she yelled.

Both looked down sheepishly.

Trisha sighed and put a hand to her temples. "Well, now that everything is over, go get ready for bed."

Both boys walked out of the dim-lit study and readied themselves for bed. Ed stared at Al oddly when he began to hum to himself.

"Al? What are you singing?"

"Hmm-diddle-a, diddle-a, diddle-a, diddle-a, hmm-diddle-diddle..." he hummed on.

They both went on changing into their pajamas and crawled into their separate beds.

Al looked over at Ed.

Ed looked over at Al.

Both wanted to ask if the wish really was going to come true, because everybody they have ever talked to has had their wish come true. Now, upon hearing that, they loved the thought of a wish coming true, but all they had ever thought about was _good_ wishes. Not _bad_ ones.

Ed quietly slipped out of his bed and tip-toed over to Al's. He sipped under the covers and both brothers lay side-by-side like this for the rest of the night.

Sleep never came to the children.

Until the early hours of the night.


	2. New Brothers?

_Hey diddle diddle... The cat and the fiddle... The cow jumped over the moon..._

_If only they saw What was the cause Of the bad that came out of the blue... What shale it be? From Elric's to free? That keeps the brothers amused... Let separation teach And hopefully reach The brother's new attitude... _

Ed's eyes pealed open but he didn't see his normal surroundings. And, somehow, it didn't alarm him. He looked up to the smiling face of Hoenhiem.

"Edward.. Time to get up, son."

Ed blinked. He didn't know why, but something, _someone..._ there was somebody he had promised something. Somebody and something that Ed, for the life of him, could not remember. He blinked again.

"Yeah..." Ed murmured, then sat up from his single-bunk bed. He rubbed his eyes.

Hoenhiem noticed something right away. "Something on your mind, Ed?" he asked.

Ed shook his head. "No... Just forgot a part of a dream that I wanted to tell you about..." Ed lied.

"Alphonse, sweetie, time to wake up..." Trisha whispered, gently shaking her only son from his sleep.

"Wha...? Huh? Mom?" Al blinked a few times before staring into the soft and loving eyes of Trisha Elric.

"Honey, it's past nine o' clock. You've slept in." she said, gently brushing Al's auburn hair from his forehead and eyes.

Al nodded, but instinctively looked to his side to find he was sitting in a small bed that would only fit him.. Nobody else. He couldn't remember why, but he was _sure_ he had gone to bed with somebody with him... perhaps a friend spending the night... He did not know and surely did not remember.

Trisha kissed him on the cheek. "You alright, Al?" she asked, seeing the distraught expression on the youth's face.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, Mom... Just thinking about something."

"Like what, Hon'? Did you have a bad dream?" Trisha brushed Al's hair back again, letting her fingers drag over his head.

He smiled and leaned back into it. It felt really good. "No, Mom. I was going to say something, just forgot it."

"Well, okay then, Sweetie," Trisha sighed, standing up. She had been kneeling on the ground while she spoke to Alphonse, "if you say so, than I believe you. Remember to get dressed and wash up, alright?"

"Yes, Mom." Al said dully. He didn't want to get up from his warm spot in his bed; just ponder over what exactly it was that he had forgotten. It wouldn't have bothered him so much if he didn't feel that this person or thing he was forgetting didn't seem so important to him. He eventually sighed and heaved himself from the bed in order to start his day.

"Son!"

"Yes?" Ed answered, slipping his arm through the sleeve of a tan coat.

Hoenhiem looked at his watch. "Will you run an errand for me?" he asked.

Ed tipped his head to his side. He was an eight-year-old. His dad asking him to run into town? A little odd.

"A nice, young woman asked me to deliver a bottle of the medicine I know how to make to her. She lives in Resembool, and as you know, we are bunking in Central. The ride is not too long, and I trust you enough to deliver this package." Hoenhiem explained.

Ed frowned. "Dad! Why does she need it? Can't you just send it to her through mail?" Ed whined.

Hoenhiem's expression stayed soft. "Three days mail, four hours train. She is dying, and has a son just a year younger than you, Edward. This pills will help her the best aside from other medications, and she cannot afford surgery, because she is saving up to give money to a babysitter. This is the least I can do for a woman."

Hoenhiem slipped a small, rolled-up brown paper bag into Ed's tan coat pocket.

Ed's interest had spiked after he had heard about this young boy needing a home. "Sure."

After paying for a ticket and bidding their farewell's, Edward rode the long(and rather boring) train ride to the small town of Resembool. He got off the train ad started his walk down the road. "A little, auburn-haired kid standing at the entrance..." Ed murmured, repeating his father's words.

"I wonder where he is-

"Ooof!" exclaimed Ed as he bumped into a kid the same height as him. "Geeze, why you-"

The little kid looked up at him. He had auburn hair.

"Hey! Is your name Alphonse?" Ed asked.

"Are you here to bring my mommy her medicine?" Al questioned, standing up from the cement.

Ed nodded, and held up his small paper bag. "Yep! Glad I found you." _How could such a sweet kid be loosing his home?_ He thought to himself, trying not to bring up the fact that Al's mother is dying. Chances are she hadn't the heart to tell him.

"This way. What's your name?" Al asked, leading the way through town.

Ed had to watch our for running into people. This kid had obviously had some training maneuvering though big crowds. "My name's Edward. But you can just call me Ed."

"Okay, Ed." Al smiled back at him before turning off a city road down a country road. "You can call me Al."

"Okay." Ed looked around. "Do you guys live in the country?"

"Yep. Mommy always had said she loved it out here." Al said, recalling his mother's words. "But she's sick right now, so she can't come and play with me all the time anymore. But the medicine you have will make her better!" Al cheered joyfully.

Ed nodded. "Yep."

They finally approached a large, two-story house. Al walked to the door and shoved it open.

The bag dropped to the ground, and the pills rolled over it.

"Mom!"

"No, Al!"

"Mom!" Al screeched, reaching into the air as Ed held him back.

In the middle of the floor, amongst a mess of shattered dishes, lay Al's mother.

"Mom!" Al yelled again, tears spilling over his cheeks.

Something in Ed snapped then. This kid, Al,had to come to his house and find his own mother dead. Maybe if Ed was quicker, the pills would have preserved her life for just a day longer! If only he and Al were quicker...

Al went limp. He didn't want to move. Ed had to drag him away from the house. Tear-drops stained the wood near the door, and also the two boys' faces. Ed felt so bad for not being quicker. Al felt bad because he knew, yet didn't want to except, that his mother was dead. They sat at the driveway until somebody came upon them and called an ambulance.

Ed looked at the clock. His dad was probably worried sick about him. It had long been six hours of sitting by Al since he should have been home. He finally glanced down at Al as they sat at the train station steps.

"Al... Alphonse..." Ed whispered, placing his hand on the youth's shoulders. Al looked up, his eyes red and swollen from the hours of tears dripping down his face. "Look, I know we haven't known each other for long, but I have a feeling we'll be good friends, so how about you come and stay with me and my dad for a few days?"

Al sniffed. "Y-You and y-your d-dad?"

Ed nodded, trying to fake a smile. "Yeah," he said softly, "we've got a roof over our heads and hot meals. It's better than nothing."

Al looked down, sniffing once again. "I guess so."

They both stood up and walked to the conductor. "Um, Mister?" Ed asked, stepping up to the suited man.

He looked down. "Yes?"

"I know I only have one ticket back to Central, but my friend needs a ride there, too." Ed explained.

The man frowned. "Where are your parents? Can't they pay for you?"

Ed shook his head. "Look, my dad sent me out here to deliver something. I came her and found out my friend's mom died and he's got nowhere else to stay. _Please_." Ed begged.

The conductor's heart dropped. "Go ahead. Ride in the first car, okay? Just no munchies."

Ed nodded and handed him his only ticket, then trotted back over to Al. "Come on, before the train leaves."

"Okay, Ed." Al stood up shakily. He followed Ed, slowly, to the car and they both climbed in.

The train whistled loudly and lurched forward. The boys sat in the same seat, watching people wave to whomever family that was on board.

Suddenly their car's door slid open. Both of them jumped. It was that same conductor. "I have something for you two," he said with a grin. He had one hand behind his back, the other placed on the frame of the door. He pulled his right hand forward, revealing two fresh cookies wrapped in plastic wrap.

Ed and Al's eyes lit up as they were each handed one. "Enjoy." The Conductor smirked, winking at Ed before closing the door.

Al looked over at Ed, who was trying to shove the whole treat in his mouth. Al laughed as he carefully nibbled his. After both had enjoyed their cookies(and a mess of crumbs had been spilled over the floor), Al looked up at Ed.

"Ed?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, Al?" Ed turned his attention from the window to the auburn-haired boy.

"It feels like we've known each other for a while."

"I know. Almost like we were brothers are something. Cool, ain't it?" Ed smiled.

Al nodded. "Can I call you 'Brother'? Like, as a nickname or something? There's just a nicer ring to it than 'Ed' all the time."

"Sure, Al. I like your name as it is. It's fast and easy."

Al blushed. "Thanks, _Brother." _

"I like that, too." Ed grinned. "Awesome! You're gonna' have a blast at my house. The neighbor has this little gray bulldog that she named Julie, or something like that. I heard she was gonna' move soon, so I've really been giving that dog crap."

Al laughed. "Just don't hurt it."

They sat on the train, Ed doing his best to cheer Al up. They laughed, and finally got back to Ed's house. They climbed off board, where Ed took Al down a series of winding roads to his small house. The sun was getting close to setting by the time they got to the door.


End file.
